


The French Mistake Revisited

by Writer_Geekgirl



Series: We're Just Better Together [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode: s12e15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, F/M, M/M, Post-Episode: s12e23 All Along the Watchtower, Season/Series 12
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-25 23:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12046926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Geekgirl/pseuds/Writer_Geekgirl
Summary: Sam wakes up from a nightmare -- one in which Castiel dies from being stabbed in the back with an angel blade.  Sam wants to make sure the angel isn't in trouble. But then there two Castiels.  Where did the other one come from? What does it all mean?





	The French Mistake Revisited

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Estamos mejor juntos](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14847399) by [Thomary221B](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thomary221B/pseuds/Thomary221B)



# Prologue

_The air felt charged as Sam pulled Dean through the rift, away from Castiel. Dean was still yelling for Cas. Sam turned around to face the rift. His heart was in this throat. The rift shimmered for a moment and the familiar form and shape of the Winchester's angel came through. Castiel looked winded and dazed. He paused as soon as he came through._

_Sam breathed a deep sigh of relief, smiled, and said, "Cas," with a hopeful tone._

_It was short-lived, however, as the point of an angel blade suddenly protruded from Castiel's chest. Light exploded from Castiel's eyes and mouth._

_Dean screamed, "No…."_

_Castiel's body fell on the ground. The scorched wings imprinted on the ground, spread on either side of him._

_Dean fell to his knees. He stared down at Castiel's body. His face was devastated and blank. He looked lost up to the stars, almost pleading for something to bring his friend back again. Dean slumped, looking back down at Castiel's body before completely kneeling next to Castiel. Dean wasn't crying, he wasn't yelling, he just sat there looking blankly._

_At that moment, Sam realized his brother was irreparably damaged. There would be no coming back. Sam knew that it was all over, that all hope was lost._

_Sam started to scream his rage at the universe. So much had been taken from them - Jess, Ellen, Bobby, Jo, Rufus, Ash, Lisa, Ben, Madison, Sarah, Charlie, Pamela, Dad… He and Dean had sacrificed so much to save the world, why did they have to lose their angel._

=====

"Sam, Sam, wake up." Sam heard Dean's voice urgently trying to get through the rage and haze. "Dude, you are having a nightmare."

Sam's eyes opened widely as he jolted up. He was still hyperventilating.

"That was a hell of a nightmare. Scared me shitless. I was dreaming about a hot babe in a hot tub and then I hear you shrieking like a banshee. What the hell was that?"

Sam turned to look into Dean's green eyes. "Just a nightmare. Lucifer stuff. Same old, same old." Sam knew it was not just a nightmare, but he knew better than to say that to Dean. It felt like a vision, like the mind-splitting ones he had had over a decade earlier. 

Dean gave him a dubious look. "You ok, then?" When Sam nodded affirmatively, Dean said, " I guess I'll head back to bed." Dean stifled a yawn and headed out of the room. Dean had been in such a hurry to get to him, he hadn't even put on his robe. He was in his boxers and a t-shirt.

Sam waited until he heard Dean's door close. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep again. He got out of bed and pulled on a shirt and quietly headed down the hall to the kitchen. He started to get himself a cup of coffee, thought better of it and headed out to the library where they stored the whiskey. He poured himself a fairly large glass and swallowed it in one gulp. His adrenaline was still high. Castiel had been so sketchy lately; could he be getting himself into more trouble than he could handle?

Sam shook as he remembered the scene just a couple of weeks before when Ramiel stabbed Castiel in the abdomen. Sam closed his eyes and remembered Castiel lying in the barn, wrecked and dying. 

The words Cas said came back to him: "..you listen to me. You– Look, thank you. Thank you. Knowing you, it... it’s been the best part of my life. And the things that...the things we’ve shared together, they have changed me. You’re my family. I love you. I love all of you. Just please... please, don’t make my last moments be spent watching you die. Just run. Save yourselves. And I will hold Ramiel off as long as I can." 

When he and Dean said that they wouldn't leave him because he was family, Castiel had cried. They defeated Ramiel, but that hadn't helped Castiel. The feeling of hopelessness he and Dean felt as they watched the best friend they ever had slowly dying with black goo coming from his mouth was overwhelming. Thankfully, Crowley had thought to break the spear Ramiel had stabbed Castiel with and broke the spell. Sam knew that if Castiel had died that night, a large chunk of Dean would die with him. Sam loved Castiel like a brother, but he knew that Dean and Castiel had a deeper, more profound bond. 

"Shit, we never told him we loved him back." Sam's hand shook as he poured another whiskey. Castiel had only stayed for two days after Ramiel and then told them he was ready to go back to searching for Kelly. Castiel had seemed withdrawn and tired when he left. Sam had asked Dean about it, but Dean just shrugged it off and said Castiel was tough and he always came back. Castiel was hell-bent on finding the woman who was carrying Lucifer's child.

But, that vision Sam had, there was no coming back from that. Sam shuddered as he remembered the scorched outline of Castiel's wings. How lifeless Castiel seemed, lying prone on the ground. Sam had never seen the wings before -- Dean described them to him once. Now, the image of the burnt into the ground was etched into his mind. Sam shuddered.

Sam pulled out his phone and sent a text message to Cas, "You there?"

After a moment, Sam received a message, "Where? I didn't have a specific destination when I left you. "

Sam gave a half smile and texted back, "I just meant, could you answer a text."

Castiel responded, "Yes, I can."

Sam laughed, "Now I know you can because you already texted me."

Castiel shot back, "That's a fair assessment. Is something the matter? It is quite late. Is Dean ok?"

"Dean's fine. I just.." Sam didn't know what to text. He didn't really want to freak out Castiel either. Sam hesitated, his brow furrowed as he tried to decide what to say. Finally, he continued: "just wanted to let you know we might need your help with a hunt in the next couple of days. It's a little bit bigger than I want just me and Dean to handle and Mom is off with the Men of Letters."

A moment later, Sam received the text. "Text me the location when you know it and I'll head that way. I have a thin lead on Kelly that probably won't be anything. I'll do the hunt and then follow my lead."

Sam smiled. He would search for a hunt for them to do with the angel. Sam typed on the phone, "Love you, man. Night." Then, he backspaced the line and simply typed, "Good night."

Sam received back, "Sleep well, Sam." Sam smiled and put the phone to his forehead a moment. He breathed deeply, and pushed his hair away from his face. 

As it turned out, it was three days later before Sam felt like there was a case that he felt safe enough to bring Castiel in on. Mick Davies from the Men of Letters kept sending them missions, first a ghoul and then a wraith and finally a siren. Castiel would suspect something if he brought him in on one of those cases - they weren't the type of thing they would call him for. Sam was also afraid that Dean would realize that there was something fishy with him finding hunts so easily. Dean was still unaware that he was working with the Men of Letters. Dean just seemed really happy killing things and running high on adrenaline. However, the last message Mick sent him was about a missing camper and a bloody aftermath. That one was an unknown foe -- much more something that they might want Castiel's help on.

Sam texted Castiel, "Sheridan County, Nebraska. Come as FBI to the crime scene at the national park there."

Castiel responded a few minutes later, "On my way."

Sam wondered how he was going to explain his request that Castiel come to Dean. He'd have to wing it. He texted to Castiel, "Please act like you found this job on your own and we met up accidentally. Dean will get upset if he knows I asked for help."

Castiel sent him a frowny face emoji. "Ok, but I do not like deceiving your brother. It always bites me in the ass."

Sam smiled at the emoji. There were moments when Castiel seemed too human. Sam shouted, "Dean, new case, let's take off as soon as you shower."

Dean and Sam drove to the crime scene and parked the Impala. They had changed into their suits to act as Feds. Sam's phone rang. Sam looked at the caller ID on the phone and saw it was his mother. Sam answered it and talked to his mother about the case she was currently working on with the Men of Letters.

Dean got out of the car and pulled out his phone. He dialed Castiel's number. He heard a ringing nearby as he pushed the call button. He looked startled for a moment and then heard Castiel's low gravelly voice, "Hello, Dean," both on the phone and behind him. Dean turned around slowly and saw Castiel about 20 feet away with his back to Dean.

Dean didn't say anything, but started walking towards Castiel while still holding the phone. The gravelly voice once again said, "Dean? Are you ok, Dean?"

Dean placed one hand on Castiel's shoulder and Castiel whirled to face him. "You're here." He heard the echo of his voice coming from Dean's phone too. "I'll hang up now." Castiel disconnected the call.

Dean gave Castiel a quick hug. "What are you doing here, man? It's good to see you, but I didn't expect you."

Castiel gave a small shrug, "I was in the area and I heard about this. I figured it was your kind of thing, so I stopped to see if I could aid local law enforcement."

Dean's eyes narrowed a little bit. The speech sounded a little rehearsed. Dean wouldn't expect that a case like this would divert Castiel from his singled-minded search for Kelly. Before he could question him more, Sam stumbled into the two of them. "Oh, hi, Cas. Good to see you!"

"Yes, well, I heard there was a missing camper and some blood. And I thought -- that's something Dean and Sam would look into." Castiel gave a short, sharp nod to his head.

Dean gave both of them a suspicious look. The sheriff walked up right then and introduced himself. The sheriff led the trio to the campsite. "You ask me, a bear got him. Maybe a cougar. Found a fair amount of blood over here and some there, but no body. Figure whatever did this dragged him off. So unless you guys are lookin’ to make a federal case on some critters… "

Sam watched as Castiel squatted on the ground, looking closely at the area near the tents. He had a frown on his face.

Sam asked, "You said there was a survivor?"

The sheriff responded, "Yeah, Gwen Hernandez. Uh, but she’s pretty shaken up, saying all sorts of strange things."

Castiel stood up and walked back over to them. "What kind of things?"

The sheriff responded, "Like that they were attacked by a wolf-- an invisible wolf." The sheriff gave a short laugh. "Girl says that, you know, it came outta nowhere and that it's coming after her next. "

Dean, Sam, and Castiel said goodbye to the sheriff and started walking back to the parking lot. 

Dean said, "Invisible dog, huh? Sounds like a hellhound to me. "

Castiel grabbed Dean's shoulder and turned him around. "It's no ordinary hellhound. This is the hellhound that started it all. Her name is Ramsey. God made hellhounds to be companions, but they were too vicious. God was going to destroy them, but Lucifer saved one. Ramsey. The girl…I think she injured the hellhound. Ramsey's blood was there. If that's the case, she'll hunt the girl down and won't stop until she kills her."

"We need to get to her." Dean started to run towards the Impala, with Sam and Castiel close on his heels. "Cas, come with us, we'll swing back and get your truck later."

The three of them got into the car and went speeding towards the address they had for Gwen. As they got out of the car and approached the door, Castiel pointed to the side of the house. "She's over there, Dean."

Suddenly, there was a shattering of glass and a scream from within the house. Castiel yelled, "She's in the house with the girl."

Dean answered snarkily, "You think, Cas?"

They ran to the front door. Castiel shoved it so hard that the door came off its hinges. The girl, Gwen, was pinned to the floor by the hellhound. Castiel pulled his angel blade out of his coat sleeve, and flung it at the hellhound. The hellhound yelped in pain as the blade pierced her side. Castiel could see the hellhound grab the angel blade with its teeth and yank it out. The hellhound turned and bounded back out the window it had entered from. 

Sam ran over to the girl and helped her to her feet. "Hey, hey. It's okay. You are going to be okay? All right?"

Castiel ran to the window and looked out. "The hellhound is heading back to the woods." He turned around and retrieved his angel blade from the ground.

Gwen looked at the three of them in a daze. "Who, who are you?"

Dean decided to give up on the Fed story. "I'm Dean Winchester, this is my brother Sam. That over there is Castiel. We hunt monsters. The thing that killed your boyfriend and attacked you, that's a hellhound. We've tangled with hellhounds in the past. Goofer dust will keep them out. A demon knife or blade will kill them."

She looked lost and wary.

Castiel growled, "Dean, she injured the hellhound. That hellhound will not give up until she's killed the thing that hurt her."

Dean looked at Castiel, "That means she's got a big hate on for you too?"

Castiel nodded, "We need to go hunt her. They didn't find the boy's body, so she's probably got a lair in the woods."

"Should we call Crowley? I mean wouldn't it be his hellhound?" Dean asked.

Sam interrupted, "Don't call Crowley. He's still angry with us about Gavin."

Castiel gave a small look of relief. His time spent recently in Crowley's company was very aggravating. What was it that Dean called it, "A bad cop buddy movie from the 80's."

Dean looked thoughtful. "Fine. Let's go gank this bitch. Come on, Gwen, you are safer if you stay with us." Gwen looked like she wanted to start to argue, but she saw the claw marks on the floor and decided to do what Dean suggested.

The four of them got in the Impala and drove back to the scene of the crime. After Dean parked the Impala, he went to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Dean dug through the trunk until he found the box he was looking for. 

He looked at Gwen, "So, hellhounds are invisible to people unless you sold your soul, and then they are after you. In your case, you injured her and she is angry."

Sam opened the box Dean had located, "They are invisible unless you are wearing a pair of these." Sam pulled out a pair of glasses and handed them to Dean. "They are treated in holy fire, so we can see them." He put a second pair on himself.

Gwen looked curious. "But how could Castiel see it? He wasn't wearing glasses."

Castiel looked at her, "Because I'm an an…."

Dean broke in, "An ass butt kicking superhero. He can see things the rest of us can't. It's his super power."

"Super heroes are real?"

"Yeah, did you notice how he broke down your door? He's like Batman."

Castiel cleared his throat, "Um, yeah, I'm like Batman. And umm… I'll go use my superpowers to go … umm…find the hellhound." Castiel clutched his angel blade and started down the trail head leading into the woods. He was muttering in Enochian.

Dean looked at Sam. "Ok, I'm going to go hit the woods with Cas to find Cujo. Gwen, you stick with Sam. He'll keep you safe."  
Gwen gave an affirmative nod, "Ok." If she hadn't seen her boyfriend ripped apart by the hellhound or been attacked herself, she would think the trio was completely crazy. However, she knew hellhounds were real, so she couldn't doubt anything.

Dean looked narrowly at Sam, "You take care of her."

Sam responded, "Of course, Dean, even if Ramsey circles back as long as we keep moving, Gwen will be…" Dean gave a slight tilt of his head to look over Sam's shoulder at the Impala. "You're talking about the car."

Dean grinned, "You tend to ride the brakes."

Sam started to climb into the car, with Gwen getting into the passenger side. Dean turned around to try to go catch up with Castiel. Sam called after him, "Dean, take care of Cas. Don't let him get hurt? Please."

Dean responded back over his shoulder, "Cas is a tough bad ass. He can take care of himself. And Sam, imagine Baby is a beautiful, beautiful woman."

"I'm out of here." Sam shook his head climbed in the car and started driving with Gwen on the road that circled around the park. Sam and Gwen had driven around for about twenty minutes. When Gwen asked him to pull over. Gwen broke down, blaming herself for everything. She got out of the car and Sam could hear her throwing up. After a moment, she got in the car. Sam silently reached back into the cooler and grabbed her a bottle of water. She took a sip.

Sam asked Gwen, "You okay?"

Gwen sighed and started to say something, but Sam's cellphone interrupted them. Sam pulled his phone out and answered, "Dean?"

Dean replied, “Hey, Sammy. Mission accomplished. One less hellhound."

"Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, me and Cas are fine, but another jacket bit the dust. Pick us up at the trail head in about 20 minutes?" Dean responded, he sounded like he was going to say something else.

"Sure, Dean. I'll see you then."

Dean paused a moment again. "Oh, and, remember that dorky actor that played Cas in Bizarro world? Yeah, I found him in the woods.” Dean stated it matter of factly.

"How is that possible?"

“I don’t know, but it's kind of weird having two angels.” Sam could hear two voices saying something about angels as Dean hung up the phone.

Sam was confused. He didn't see how Castiel could randomly run into his doppelgänger in the middle of a park. He tried to remember the name of fake Castiel. He was Milo, Michael, Mi-something. Misha! That's what it was. From what he could remember from his and Dean's trip to Bizarro world, Misha was kind of a jerk and was murdered while they were there. His fake Ruby wife had been quite upset by it. He shook his head slightly. Hellhounds hunting you was weird; winding up on a tv show in an alternate reality--there weren't even words for that.

He turned to Gwen and smiled. "Everything is going to be okay now. Dean and Cas have taken care of the hellhound. We just need to go pick them up." Sam pulled the glasses off and tossed them on the dashboard. He turned the Impala around to head back. He glanced over at Gwen, "You okay?"

"I don't even know what okay is anymore. But I'm glad this is over."

Sam parked the car at the trail head. He and Gwen got out and waited leaning against the car.

About ten minutes later, Dean, Castiel, and a third man who looked remarkably like Castiel emerged from the woods. Both Castiel and the new man wore the same trench coat; however, one of them was covered in a black gooey substance. Gwen blinked in confusion, looking from Castiel to the other. "Is it over?"

The man in the goo-covered trench coat looked at Gwen intently.  
   
Dean replied, “Yes, it’s over.” He did a once over of the Impala. “Good job, Sammy. Not a dent on Baby. Maybe, next time I’ll even let you drive while I’m in the car.”  
   
The girl was still staring at the two versions of Castiel. 

Dean said, “His twin brother, Misha, met us in the woods. Yeah, it freaks us out too. The one on the right is dorkier though,” indicating the one in the goo-covered trench coat.  
   
Sam looked between the two Castiels. The one in the goo-covered trench coat scowled at him. Sam decided that one must be the angel, but continued to glance between them to try to be certain. Sam started to frown and the one that had scowled at him burst out laughing. Sam stared at him. That had to be Misha. Now that he looked more closely, Misha had more laugh lines around his eyes and his nose crinkled up as he laughed.

Castiel rolled his eyes and glared at Misha. “Stop that.”  
   
Misha laughed harder, bending over. He sounded like he was getting hysterical. 

Dean saw the annoyed look in Castiel's face and began to laugh too. Misha and Dean laughed for a minute or two before it wound down.  
   
Sam turned to Gwen. “We’ll take you back to your place now. It should all be ok now. The hellhound is dead, so you shouldn’t be bothered again.” 

Sam opened the door of the backseat so that Gwen could slide into the middle. Castiel slid in next to Gwen. 

Sam took his shotgun position in the car. Dean and Misha were doing something at the back of the car. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the vision he had. Now, there were two versions of Castiel, which one had been in his vision. Should he tell Dean? Should he tell Castiel? He just didn't know. 

Sam started, "Cas, I need to tell…"

Dean slid into the car at that moment. Sam stopped. Castiel tilted his head at Sam with a quizzical look.

Sam gave a brief shake of his head and stared out the window. Misha finished getting into the backseat. Dean put the car in gear and headed towards Gwen's house. 

Sam knew he had to keep Castiel with him until he figured the vision out. Everything felt out of control. 

He thought again of the moments in which Castiel thought he was dying in the barn. Castiel was family. You don't give up on family, even if they want to give up on themselves.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first real foray into writing fan fiction. Many years ago, I got a Star Trek anthology in which the stories were written by fans. One of them was about William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelly finding themselves transported to the bridge of the Enterprise. That story always fascinated me. That story and the French Mistake inspired me to write this.
> 
> The French Mistake and other ways that Supernatural has broken the fourth wall have always made for intriguing and fun episodes. I decided to reverse it and bring an actor into Supernatural world. Please consider the Misha in this work to be an AU Misha and not the one in our world. I would never assume to speak for our real Misha and I hope nothing I have in this story would offend him.
> 
> Note: The Prologue is written from Sam's point of view.


End file.
